By joshua 
2027: Ododo still the best
By Emman Gwatana
“IN ASSESSING THE PERFORMANCES OF MANY OF OUR GOVERNORS IN THE COUNTRY, THERE IS NO DOUBT GOVERNOR ODODO IS MAKING AN OUTSTANDING DIFFERENCE IN KOGI STATE.”
Individuals, technocrats, business men and women, politicians, the Clergy are all measured by their day to day actions and inactions. This indeed is the manner society revolves continually.
All the governors who have ruled Kogi State have all left their marks either for good or otherwise. Even out of office society would continue to judge them by the marks they made while they were in power.
Take a look at the Prince Abubakar Audu years, his development strides in infrastructure speaks volumes to date. The Alhaji Ibrahim Idris years is remarkable in the construction of a gigantic water plant at Ganaja and the priority attention he gave to the welfare of civil servants. Capt. Idris Ichalla Wada years is remarkable for the opening of the Ganaja – Barracks by-pass and the construction of the bond housing estate. Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello came on board and dealt a decisive blow on insurgents and gave the people peace for public and private business to thrive in the state.
Every democratic administration in Kogi State has its salient points to be remembered by the people of the state. It is the indelible marks of each administration in the state that makes the difference whenever the history of the state is packaged for the people and posterity.
When the time Allah has prepared for his own to lead the people of Kogi State came, His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo came on board and was sworn in as the fifth Executive Governor of the state on January 27, 2024. The Governor took the leadership of the state with humility and has remained in office for the divine mandate Allah placed in his palms to better the lots of the people of the state.
The first year of Governor Ododo in office was very inspiring so also was his second year. The good people of Kogi State could bear witness to many of the touching things the governor put in place for the well-being of the good people of Kogi State.
In his first year in office, Governor Ododo tackled the perennial salary shortages of the entire Local Government workers in the state. For decades the Local Government workers were placed on percentage salaries with some of them receiving as low as five thousand naira per month. Most of them hardly make ends meet and were not able to pay the school fees of their children. The situation was so appalling and could be better imagined to been experienced.
The coming to power of Governor Ododo has today put an end to the long sufferings of Local Government workers. In no distance time the Local Government Areas erupted in joy and life returned to normalcy at the grassroots.
In another bold move, the governor began to revamp the education sector. The governor paid the West Africa School Certificate (WAEC) fees of all the final year students in public schools across the state. And he has continued to do so in the last two years. He has also ensured that scholarship of indigent Kogi State students in tertiary institutions across the federation are continually paid. All these efforts are to ensure that the education system in the state is greatly enhanced and sustained.
On the nine tertiary institutions owned by the Kogi State government, the governor expended millions of naira in improving basic educational infrastructure. The measure has continued to fast track the accreditation of old and new courses in all the Tertiary institutions in the state.
In terms of empowering the youths in the state, the governor ensured that majority of the youths in the state are appointed as Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants, members of Boards, Agencies and Parastaltas, Council Chairmen and Councillors etc. Today majority of Kogi youths have been engaged in the administration of the state.
On security, Governor Ododo has not left any one in the state in doubt on his commitment towards making the state a no go area for criminals. Few months into his administration, the governor bought vehicles and gadgets and distributed them to all the security agencies in the state. This he did to ease the job of the security agents in tackling the men of the underworld who might be plotting to creep into the state. Only recently the governor ordered the demolition of criminal hideouts across the three Senatorial districts of the state. This in effect has made criminals to stay clear from the state. If one compares the insurgency raging in some states of the federation it would not be an understatement to say Kogi is safe.
The women populace in the state has fully been integrated in the administration of Governor Ododo. Due to the governor’s inclusive administration, the governor has helped the women in the state to keep participating actively in the state political activities. Today the women in the state are Vice Chairmen, House Leaders across the twenty one Local Government Areas of the state. Many of them are also Councillors in the Local Government Areas. What’s more, many women in the state are members of Boards, Agencies and Parastaltas. Some of them are commissioners while the State Secretary to Kogi State Government is a female.
Governor Ododo is also very outstanding in the payment of salaries and allowances to state, Local Government workers and the retirees of the state. Salaries are paid promptly between the 22nd and 24th of every month to the state and Local Government workers and this has remained constant since the governor assumed office in January 2024 to date.
In his usual humble manner, the governor took the state workers by surprise when he cash back the promotion of workers in the state in the month of January 2026. The workers in the state saw the action of the governor as the greatest happy new year greetings to the workers in the state.
Let me also state here in no uncertain terms that Governor Ododo has continued to live a humble life in office. The good people of Kogi State can attest to the fact that he is accessible. In the last two years in office he has taken several tours to Kogi West and East reaching out to the electorates and accessing projects his administration initiated. Meeting his set goals has remained his main focus in office and he has continued to carry out the onerous task of meeting the needs of Kogi people.
In capping up the year 2025, Governor Ododo took a bond of fifty billion naira for the construction of an Airport and modern market in the state. This twin projects are geared towards generating massive employment for the good people of the state. This viable projects would be great legacies he would leave behind when by the grace of Allah he leaves office by 2032.
While giving the appraisal of the two years administration of Governor Ododo it would be important to note that the sound foundation laid by his predecessor in office, His Excellency Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello provided the compass to which the governor has kept excelling in office. It is therefore worthy to note here that former governor Bello is a political leader of high repute. The former governor lived by example, his successor in office followed suit y today it is paying off for the good people of Kogi State.
In accessing the performances of many governors in office in the country today, there is no doubt that Governor Ododo in the last two years has performed excellently and remains the best.
While the state is already heading for the November 2027 governorship election, there is no doubt in my mind that Governor Ododo remains the best and deserves re-election.